Used to...but no more...lucky if bags come off within a reasonable amount of time these days, and it will get worse

I've decided that the 'priority' tag is somewhat like a lottery--if it works out, fine; if your bag gets usual treatment, tough. In fact on international I've GENERALLY had pretty good treatment with 'priority' tags affixed, but on domestic flights it makes no apparent difference.

An odd thing occurred on a recent trip SAV-CRL-DEN-SEA, with the first leg on US, remainder on UA. I had an upgrade CRL-DEN-SEA. There was definitely no 'priority' tag added by the US CSR in CRL. In fact he was all set to check the bags only to DEN because "our computers don't display multiple segments on connecting *A flights." Yet when we finally reached SEA, there were priority tags on each baggage check, presumably stapled on by UA ramp crews in CRL. The bags did not arrive quickly at the baggage claim in SEA--I guess they have cut the staffing as long waits for baggage seems to be the norm these days.

Flyer 420
Seattle

Even you are connecting to SQ, NH or TG, it means absolutely nothing, all depends on which airport. I have flown on SQ F, arriving into SFO, my bags are tagged with *A priority tag, also with a pink SQ F tag, being there was only one other passenger in F class, my bags were not the first twenty bags came out.

For at least one UA destination with no onward connection I catagorically deny dcgators catagorical statement!

I fly ORD LHR 10-12 times a year and 80% of the time at LHR the priority tagged bags come out first, are taken off the belt by local staff and are placed in a well signed area for Business/priority luggage. Saddly this does not happen on the return flight at ORD.

So I for one am greatful that, at least at LHR priority tags mean something for the majority of LHR/ORD flights I have taken. I do however accept that I rarely, if ever, get this service any where else.

I can also say that with some 2 years of this schedule I have (so far) never once had my baggage not arrive with me at my destination - what's the betting I have now jinxed that?

Priority usually works except when they loose your Bag . Otherwise it seems good on the Int'l flights as others have said. The worst is when I have to make a US connection in PHL where no Bag is a priority!!
-UFFA

I agree in PHL forget it they do not even unload the flights in the order they arrived.

My experiences look like this:
bag arriving in BOS from overseas w/priority tag every bag was unloaded onto
the conveyor THEN bags marked PRIORITY were delivered to an area 20 feet from the conveyor.

Priority to FRA on LH bag brought out before conveyor started
Priority to MUC on LH bag was on conveyor among the first to come out.

Priority PVD to IAD to FRA.. UA to IAD bag never made it to connecting flight on LH

Priority PVD-ORD-OKC-ORD-PVD Bag came out in both OKC and PVD toward end of bags .
BOS-DEN-OKC-DEN-BOS same

UA from PVD to IAD to CDG bags didn't even come out with the bags from IAD but from CLT on different conveyor

Looks like priority is mere "eyewash" Better known as a promise not kept

well, not exactly. in many asian and some european airports of larger size, priority luggage is given priority of some flavor or another. and, if you're going to a developing economy (aka poor country), having the priority tag marks you as a good victim, thereby contributing to the local economy.

I heard somewhere, maybe here, that the priority only with regard to bags that are off-loaded due to weight. That is, bags with priority tags would be the last to off-loaded. Probably to make room for the FA's walkers on the ORD-NRT run. Sorry, couldn't resist.